A special Polar Express train will run on Friday, December 3rd at 7:30 pm from the Ocean Gateway on Commercial Street. This one ride is hosted by the Maine Interior Design Association, (MIDA), under the auspices of the Maine Narrow Gauge Railroad Co. & Musum. Tickets for this ride are $15. per person – a large discount from the usual full price ticket. Please contact www.porttix.com or call 207/842-0800 and say the code word – MIDA – to take advantage of this offer as long as tickets are available.
For the first year, MIDA has assumed responsibility for decorating the seven railroad cars to be used in the Polar Express fundraiser for the Maine Narrow Gauge Railroad Co. & Museum. In previous years, Polar Express has enjoyed the participation of numerous non-profits in the area. This year the railroad officials decided to partner with MIDA only – the largest nonprofit participating in this year’s fundraiser. This is the sixteenth year that the two-footers have participated in a holiday fundraiser at the bottom of Munjoy Hill.
Teams of decorators began earlier this week decorating the trains for the rides which begin the day after Thanksgiving; next week and run until December 23rd. (At full price.) Laura Zoulamis-Gordon of TLA on Munjoy Hill, an interior designer, was decorating car # 24 along with Christine Riley. (She specializes in banks and credit unions.) “This particular train has a classic feel to it,” said Riley who serves on the MIDA board. “In keeping with the traditional interior, we decided to decorate the car in that vein,” said Laura. “I’m bringing my kids, nieces and nephews. They’ll all be wearing their pajamas,” she said. Her sons are Alexander 5 l/2 and Theodore 3 1/2 years old.
Each team of decorators has a budget of $250. provided by MIDA.
Please visit previous post #632, dated 11/12, for more information.